If you were around in 2016, then you will know President Trump campaigned on building a “big beautiful” border wall. However, because Congress did not pass spending bills, the wall was put on hold. Until now! U.S. Customs and Border Protection has announced that a border wall will be constructed in Texas at Big Bend National Park, which shares a 118-mile border with Mexico. Fox 7 Austin reported more on the big move: Large stretches of the U.S. southern border within Texas’ Big Bend National Park are now due to receive “primary border wall system,” some of which could start construction before the end of the year. The entire 517-mile stretch of the Big Bend Sector is set to receive some sort of border protection upgrade, U.S. Customs and Border Protection told FOX Local, and contracts for wall projects are expected to be awarded within weeks. In areas previously designated for “detection technology” in the park, primary border wall system is now in the “planned” phase, meaning it’s waiting to be awarded contracts for construction. The sections that pass through Big Bend are part of a 111.6-mile stretch of primary wall, which the CBP site refers to as “steel bollard wall.” That stretch is broken by some areas of border within the national park which are still designated as detection technology only. Those areas may be impacted by nothing more than cameras and lights, though the specifics are unclear. The CBP expects all border barrier contracts to be awarded by mid-2026, a spokesperson said in a Friday statement to FOX Local. Those awards may begin rolling in over the coming weeks and months, they said. Various phases of construction are anticipated to start toward the end of the year, CBP said, upon completion of land acquisition. FOX Local asked the CBP whether eminent domain will be exercised in acquiring land for the projects, but that answer was not included in the Friday statement. BREAKING: Sec. Kristi Noem just signed the final contract to purchase the remaining steel to complete the Southern Border Wall. pic.twitter.com/5eVpkuBvyS — The Patriot Oasis (@ThePatriotOasis) February 10, 2026 The Dallas Daily News reported that some parts of the new border wall will be a “smart wall”: A map published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection revealed plans for construction of a “smart wall” that cuts through the national park and neighboring Big Bend Ranch State Park, as well as private ranch land. Officials in West Texas said the federal government has provided no details about its plan, but residents and business owners are vehemently opposed to a border wall. “Nobody wants a damn wall. It serves no purpose,” Pecos County Judge Joe Shuster said Thursday. “It would destroy the beauty of Big Bend National Park.” A spokesperson for Customs and Border Protection confirmed the wall could include any combination of physical barriers, technology and road improvements depending on the terrain and operational requirements. Contracts should be awarded in the coming weeks and months, with construction expected to begin by the end of this year. The agency said it will provide more details as they are available and work with stakeholders to minimize impacts “to the greatest extent practicable.” Construction of a new stretch of border wall is also occurring in Arizona. Take a look: Border wall construction continues — fast-tracked pic.twitter.com/fGQ4RCuDH2 — Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 5, 2026